Friday, April 08, 2011

In the Philippines, household help are not uncommon. They offer a lot of help to busy people who have little time to attend to their daily chores and children left behind while at their nine to five jobs.

In general, do Filipinos conduct a thorough background check before they hire their prospective maids even if they were recommended by people known to them? It pays to do so. Read these stories.

In the news today are two such maids who were involved in serial crimes of poisoning and then robbing their employers.

The first case is that of suspect Shanly Deñega AKA Arlyn. She was charged of qualified theft when Lucil Javier, one of her former employers, alleged that Deñega stole jewelries, mobile phone and other valuables.

She was arrested on Thursday for theft and is now in prison in Quezon City in Metro Manila.

Another former employer, Anthony Mercado, also alleged that the suspect poisoned Lorna Pascual Mendoza, his aunt, and then robbed her.

Two other employers were allegedly poisoned by Deñega.

The second case is another maid who admitted to her crimes on Thursday in the capital Manila is Anamie Livrando AKA "Poison Ivy."

The 32-year-old maid native of Cebu in central Philippines also committed a number of similar crimes—poisoning and theft.

Livrando was not remorseful of the crimes she committed and did not deny them.

She said that she was abused by her previous employer that made her live a life of crime.

In August 2008, Livrando was arrested by the cops. It was revealed that her modus involved making friends with security guards.

She would seek recommendation from them for households in search of help.

Once she was hired, she will observe her potential victims. She will mix white powdery poisonous substances in her victims' food and drinks. And then the robbery operation begins.

Police said Livrando would sell the stolen items especially the jewelries.

"I only get 10 percent of the loot," said the maid who admitted she was a member of a syndicate gang with a certain Rita Manabat as their leader.

Livrando also warned that there are other maids who commit the same crime.